Exploring Generosity as a Form of Worship: Bridging Faith and Finances

0:00 Stop being afraid. Why? Because it's your father's good pleasure, it does him good, it pushes his buttons to give, to give, to give to you, to give what the whole kingdom? Oh, that's just talking about spiritual things, yes, and things, all these things. Welcome to the City Light Church podcast. Thanks for joining us today as we look into God's word and discover the hope and truth that he has for us. If you want to connect with City Light Church, feel free to visit us at citylightnyccom.

0:41 That's citylightnyccom. Pastor Boyan Jansik and his team believe that the power of the Holy Spirit is already working in our hearts and minds. As you listen to today's teaching, remember that you are deeply loved by God, that you are surrounded by His grace and that he has a real hope and a future for you. Let's begin in Matthew 2.1. So I feel like the road a ruderman this morning. Do you guys know road a ruder? You're what? You're a plumber.

1:22 You don't want to say that to me? I'm gonna, you know? No, I literally just prayed several days ago. Now, with this new house, I'm like Lord, you got to send me like honest contractors. I prayed that three years ago, third row, I'm a plumber. I'm not asking you to donate your services, I'm just asking not to rip me off, which immediately puts you in the top 1% of all plumbers. I had to call it because these Wacko Williamsburg plumbers were coming. I had to call. I did call road a ruder because they're the franchise.

2:04 You know. You at least have some kind of guarantee. But they come in and they plum and I feel like the road a ruderman and your toilet is clogged and I have to unscrew the whole toilet, put on a rubber glove up to my shoulders and get on in there before I snake it. I know I'm skipping a step, but before I snake I want to see what's going on and pull out. And it's your two year old's rubber ducky that she flushed down the toilet and you're wondering why there's obstructions and blockages and your plumbing doesn't work. We're going in here and we're removing the stuff that is preventing you from being in the receiving zone Once again, because God's ways are from glory to glory.

2:48 They're to increase, they're to grow, and if these things aren't aligned in our hearts and we're not aligned with the kingdom, we will live in frustration. And then, if I don't bring the truth to you, god will hold me accountable for allowing you to live under my care in frustration. So some giving truths. Here we talk about giving a sowing and reaping, because that's how the Bible presents it. These are terms that the apostle Paul himself used, these agricultural terms. You know, when you sow a seed, you can sow one apple seed but reap many trees with thousands and tens of thousands of apples.

3:29 That's all nice and I make a living by my giving. But what's even more precious than the fact that our way to financial increases with our giving is that our giving is worship. It is worship, it is a matter of the heart, and God receives it as worship. The offering is holy. Giving is sacred. It should be beautiful. It's holy. Is it any wonder why Satan attacks it so much? Is it any wonder why he sends charlatans disguised as ministers who twist the scriptures, pervert the gospel and have an agenda of only finances and really give a bad name to something that should be holy and sacred and beautiful.

4:24 So let's look at this scripture Matthew 2, 11,. When the wise men come to meet Jesus, and when they had come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary, his mother, and fell down and worshiped him. And when they had opened their treasures now let's just pause right there. So many times we act like after that period, they took a break, had lunch for an hour and then came and opened up their treasures.

5:07 Do you get what I'm saying? We read it as though they came, worshiped him whatever that looked like went and did something else and came back and then opened up their treasures. This goes together. This was in the same minute, in fact, one version says and opening up their treasures, they worshiped him. How do you worship a king? You bring gifts worthy of a king. Those wise men were wise men because they knew how to worship God incarnate and they worshiped him with their treasures. And when they had opened their treasures, they presented gifts to him Gold.

5:52 What is gold? A precious metal? A gift that you would give a deity. Frankincense or incense Excuse me, a gift. Gold is a gift you would give a king. Frankincense or incense is a gift you'd give a deity. And myrrh, a precious spice, is something you would put in a drink to someone who's dying, a dead man, an end of life, someone who's gonna pass. So they were recognizing him as king, as God and as someone who was born to die. But the point here is that they worshiped with their giving and, first and foremost, we have to understand that our giving, of any kind, is unto the Lord and he receives it as worship.

6:38 That means whenever I give my tithe, I'm worshiping him with my tithe. If I give an offering, I'm worshiping him with my offering. Listen, when I buy gifts for people, when I take friends out to eat, I am doing it to a human, but I'm ultimately doing it unto the Lord and done with the right heart, in faith. He receives that as worship. Can you believe that, church? He receives it as worship and I want my life to be a sweet, smelling aroma of fragrance unto God. Oh man, I feel like I have to say this because it was so pleasant in the first service and I'm feeling that Sphinxster, tightening demon moving amongst my precious sheep and I bind him and, no pun intended, I lose him.

7:46 This, this is for you, it's not for us. I know I was at a church when I first began in Christianity. If ever the topic of money came up, we knew the church was doing poorly financially. They never talk about it. And then we knew they were redlining, uh-oh, not meeting budget. And now they're talking about money. We're doing fine and, by the way, you know who's really doing fine God. God doesn't need a gift, but he needs you to give. It's not for him, it's for you, it's your way to increase. He's not looking to take something from you, he's looking to get something to you. Hallelujah, let's go to Philippians.

8:38 Let's first read it out of the NLT Philippians 418. The problem here is that there is a money God and by God I mean lower case G a demonic entity. Its name is Mammon. Jesus called it Mammon. Ancient pagans had a name for it Mammon, the money God, and that God is active today. These evil spirits didn't go anywhere in several thousand years. You know that they're still around until that day they're thrown into the lake of fire. They're here and that spirit of Mammon is real. Some people are afflicted by it to one degree or another. If you've ever sat across from someone who's really afflicted by the spirit of Mammon the greed, the avarice, the stinginess it's palpable.

9:30 And for many people Mammon is their God. Mammon is the God they serve. And so when you start bringing a message like this, they start getting irritated, they start getting angry, they start getting upset. Nobody here is shaking you up. The ushers aren't going to come turn you upside down and see what comes out. Nobody knows if you give or not. Nobody knows. I don't know. I treat everybody like they're the number one giver in the church. So just chill and let the Word of God come and do something or stop complaining.

10:13 It's amazing how you know. In the first service it's just different. In the first service, I guess different crowd hungry ones or whatever, not saying. If you're in the second, you're not hungry. But August to come that early? You know you're just as special, but it was completely different. But here I got about seven minutes in and all of a sudden it's like somebody just pulled the emergency brake. Hallelujah, hallelujah. Here's the Apostle Paul. He's writing the Philippians. At the moment I have all I need and more.

10:54 I am generously supplied with the gifts you sent me with the pathoditis. He's talking about the offering and we're talking about giving as worship. They are a sweet, smelling sacrifice that is acceptable and pleasing to God. What is he describing Worship so many times when it describes Old Testament worship? It describes the aroma, the fragrance, the smell of the sacrifice. It's well pleasing in the nostrils of God. Paul is saying I'm well supplied, thank you for your offering. But it's not even about what your offering will do in the natural.

11:36 What it's really about is the fragrance, the worship, the aroma that comes up to God. You're giving to him. He receives it as worship. This is why we're still talking about the woman with the alabaster box today, because she worshiped Jesus and she didn't worship him cheaply. Words are cheap. It's a Jesus. She didn't come. Jesus, I love you. And sang Jaira over him oh, you're more than enough. More than enough. She cost her something. The Bible says that that precious perfume was worth a year's wages. And she broke that box of alabaster, took out the flask and poured it on him.

12:20 And Jesus said what you've done unto me is a good thing. And wherever this gospel is told, you will be mentioned. And here I am fulfilling that prophetic word of Jesus 2000 years later, talking about the woman, why was she singled out and eternally memorialized in the scriptures? Because she worshiped him with a gift. And guess what? What do you think? That room smelled like that costly spikenard oil. That fragrance filled the whole room and changed the whole atmosphere in the place. When people make a decision to let go, it'll change the entire atmosphere of a church, then the entire atmosphere of a neighborhood, then the entire atmosphere of a city.

13:10 That's why we have to get past this. And, by the way, we have a generous church and for the most part, we get to do and support the missions we support and do what we do and have the staff that we have because we have a generous church. But what would happen if all of us came on the same page? It's just amazing to me how somebody can understand that they're an eternal being and that they will live forever, either in heaven or in hell, and they can come to that place where they believe that Jesus dwelt among us, never sinned, went to the cross, died in our place and was raised again and have saving faith in Jesus.

13:59 All from the Word of God, but then in another part of the Word of God they'll read that you cannot give God and that he requires you to give to Him but that He'll bring it back to you, and that they don't believe and they don't even see and have the maturity to see the complete disconnect. How do you have faith that he's going to save your soul on the day of judgment, that you will dwell in Him forever, but you don't have faith that he's going to provide for you financially and that whatever you give to Him is going to multiply back to you. Am I making sense here this morning? Let's read it in the Amplified but I have received everything in full and more.

14:44 I am amply supplied, having received from Epaphroditus the gifts you sent me. They are the fragrant aroma of an offering, an acceptable sacrifice which God welcomes and in which he delights. That's our giving, and I want to smell good to God. You know people smell in the spirit they do. And because the area of giving and our relationship to money and I'll show you some scriptures in just a little bit is so important, it reveals what's happening on the inside.

15:26 Even the world knows this. Do you know what a credit check is? It's really a character check, it's an integrity. Check how you handle money is going to come through in every area of your life. If someone doesn't smell good, I just on a person. I can't be down with them. I can love them, I can minister to them, but I have to cut off access. I can't let them in my life. You're dating someone. You want to see what kind of a husband and what kind of a wife they'll be. Check their giving. Ask them what are your views on giving, what are your views on generosity? Your neighbor who you know is struggling Did you buy him groceries? Did you help them out? Do you tie it to your church?

16:06 Do you support any missions? If they're stingy, if they're tight-fisted, if they don't honor God, how do you think they're going to treat you? Oh no, you'll be different. Right the lies we tell ourselves. When we're in love, everyone gives off an aroma. I want to smell real good all the time. I want to be a generous person that's constantly giving off of a fragrance that's a delight in the nostrils of God. Let's look at Proverbs Proverbs 3, 9, and 10.

16:57 So so far we've seen and I'm only using my three favorite verses. There's dozens of other verses that show that giving is worship. But we've seen that the wise men worship Jesus with their treasures. We've seen that the apostle Paul he talked about the offering and said it's a fragrant aroma received as worship. Here in Proverbs it says honor the Lord with your possessions. Notice what it doesn't say Honor the church, honor the temple, honor the organization, honor the charity, honor the 501c3, honor the preacher. Why? Because it's going to the Lord.

17:39 It is worship unto him. Honor the Lord with your possessions. When Melchizedek came to Abraham, abraham gave him a tithe of all. Melchizedek was pointing to Jesus. He was a type of Jesus. The book of Hebrews tells us that and it says over there meaning over in the Old Testament, they receive them, the priests receive tithes, but over here, under the New Covenant, he himself receives them. Jesus receives them. I'm giving to him. I'm not giving to man, I'm not giving to a church. I have a giving relationship with the Lord.

18:21 He's given me everything and I prove my trustworthiness when I give him whatever he wants. This is so important. It's a matter of trustworthiness. He's a God of increase. I just experienced a major breakthrough in my life. I hear and see other people. They experience a sudden shift. That's only after a season of testing and proving your trustworthiness. So many people have the powerball mentality. They just think somehow, some way, all of a sudden, bam, and they're gonna land and be like Uncle Scrooge, diving into the money pit and doing the backstroke and a bunch of gold coins.

19:04 It's not gonna happen that way, and no, I mean, you all know this. Whenever that does happen, like via a lottery, you check back with them two years later and they're back in the trailer park again Because they blow themselves up. They don't know how to handle money. But we prove our trustworthiness little by little, as we do as good stewards and as to all we are stewards, as we do as good stewards with our finances, whatever he tells us to do, hallelujah, honor the Lord with your possessions and with the first fruits of all your increase.

19:47 This is such a touchy subject. Speaking of first fruits, do you know the original murder in the Bible? The first murder was over an offering. Cain killed Abel. Abel brought the first fruits. Cain did it kind of when he felt like it. The Bible says in the course of time I'll get to it, I can't right now. I got reasons and God received Abel's offering. It was the first fruits. Cain was in the course of time. And then Cain was so jealous he killed his brother Abel. So I guess I shouldn't be surprised at some of the tension I'm detecting in the spirit as I preach this, since the subject of an offering was the impetus for the first murder in the Bible.

20:36 Maybe that's what I'm detecting, pastor James, some people just looking at me with murder in their hearts. You tempted to log off already three times. You stay out, you, you especially. You know you, you need to stay on. I know it's like fingernails on a chalkboard for you right now, but trust me, it's good for you. It's good for you, it'll do you good in the end, hallelujah. So let's read the next verse, because you'll see that in the Bible, whenever he talks about giving, it also talks about receiving. In fact, you'll never find Jesus talking about giving without also talking about receiving Never.

21:24 It's impossible. It's impossible to give to God without getting a harvest back Impossible. That woman built a penthouse apartment for Elijah. Well, you know, she built a room for him on her roof. She made a little cot for him. She sowed seed into the man of God. He's trying to go to sleep and he can't sleep. He's like something needs to be done for her. Why? Because you can't sow seed without a harvest back, without there being a retribution, the good kind, jesus, I've offered up a $10,000 reward. No one has ever done that. I've offered up a $10,000 reward. No one has taken me up on it.

22:06 If you can find the scripture where Jesus talks about giving without also talking about receiving, always they go together. Honor the Lord with the first fruits of your increase, all your possessions, so your barns will be filled with plenty and your vats will overflow with new wine. Hallelujah, thank you, jesus. We're gonna have a time of ministry and you're gonna see the difference in here as the Lord removes some of these blockages. The Lord is gonna come, but right now I still have my rubber glove on up to my shoulder.

22:54 Hallelujah, let's go to Luke 12, verse 31. Luke 12, verse 31. Hallelujah, jesus, he says. But seek the kingdom of God and all these things shall be added to you. Do not fear little flock, for it's your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom.

23:34 Isn't that so beautiful? And, by the way, a lot of times you might say really all of the time, when we're bound up in the area of giving, what's behind that is fear. We may dress it up as all these other things, but really what's behind that is fear, fear that I won't have enough for me. And God is a God of multiplication. He's the one who takes a little bit of bread and a few fishes from a little boy's lunch and multiplies it and feeds 15,000. So Jesus's words are always addressing that fear. We as humans, we can be so petty, so short-sighted, so small-minded and always making decisions based out of fear.

24:23 And Jesus is saying do not be afraid. Quit being bound by that poverty spirit, that lack mentality, where you see everything through that lens of just barely getting by and not enough. Stop being afraid. Why? Because it's your Father's good pleasure, it does him good, it pushes his buttons to give, to give, to give to you, to give what the whole kingdom? Oh, that's just talking about spiritual things, yes, and things, all these things. You read the verses before. What things is he talking about?

25:04 Things, things that you need. Some people seem think it's holy to be so spiritually minded. They're no earthly good, they spiritualize everything. No, it's like God understands even better than them that you live on a physical earth, in a physical body. And guess what? You will need? Physical things and he has promised to provide for you, yes, spiritually and physically. Hallelujah, do not fear little flock, for it's your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom. Next verse Sell what you have and give alms.

25:47 Notice it doesn't say sell all that you have and give alms. I have to say that because somehow Christianity became like the poor person's religion. How did that happen? No other religion do people equate with poverty, but somehow, when you say you're a Christian, or especially when you say you're a minister, they needed to think if you're not dirt poor, barefoot, wearing a potato sack, you're not really living your faith out authentically. What? How did that happen when you see, all throughout the scriptures, god's people blessed, and by blessed I mean financially prosperous. Let me say it again for those who were irritated Financially, money prosperous.

26:39 How did poverty get equated with holiness? I've been to over 50 nations. I've been to some very, very. I did the work for years in Liberia, for fourth poorest nation in the world, when I would go around West Point. I never went around going. Oh, look at the needles. Oh, look at people living homeless, thousands of them on the beach. Ooh, it's so holy here. This is just the will of God, Mm. No, I reckon that there is a curse here and we need to see it lifted by the blood of Jesus, hallelujah.

27:23 But people will read this and think Jesus is saying sell everything you have. No, he's just saying be generous. And if you need to sell something in order to be generous, sell that. It's the same people who take Peter and John on their way to the gate called Beautiful and they say silver and gold, we have none. But in the name of Jesus, what I have I give to you. And they go see Peter and John were broke. What? How did they do what they did? Somebody financed them. You read in John, chapter eight there were two very wealthy women who financed Jesus' entire ministry. But that day, because they didn't have Apple Pay and they didn't have AmEx and it was a bit of a pain to carry around your sack of gold everywhere you went, they left it behind because they were going to pray.

28:11 And they go silver and gold, we're fresh out, it's back in the hotel. And then people build a whole doctrine and a whole world view and a whole lifestyle out of Peter and John saying silver and gold, we have none. Great, you have none. Let's see how many people you get saved, how many orphanages you start, how much suffering you relieve and how much good you do in the world. Because all that on this side of heaven is gonna take some money, honey, some bread, fred, and some dough Joe. You ever notice people who come against this message. What are they doing? What are you doing to help the hurting? What are you doing to spread the gospel? No, you, just with your arms folded. Oh, we're talking about money, maaah, but what are you doing?

28:52 I know what I'm doing. I know what I've done for 21 years. What are you doing? I'm pretty happy with what I'm doing. Still want to do more. I want to help more. So he's not saying oh, and it's also the same people who read and ask how you know the early church that one time they sold everything and they held all things in common. That was awesome, that was wonderful. That happened once.

29:35 That doesn't mean that's how we're supposed to live. It was a supernatural work that God did in the book of Acts. It doesn't mean that God loves communism and we're all supposed to live in a commune and we'll all just share. For some of you, that should be a relief. Amen, we love each other just like this. Imagine all holding up in the Hian Center, all selling, and then we just have one giant fridge we all help ourselves from. That was a special grace. That was on the church the first century in Jerusalem. At that time you see all of Paul's letters. They're not all living together in one community. David Koresh style.

30:28 I feel bad for the social media people that have to find snippets that they can post. Just, my heart goes out to you because just as I get going I give him something that's going to make him wince. If he could just not say that, then we'd have a 30 second sound bite. Sell what you have and give alms. Provide yourselves money, bags which do not grow old, a treasure in the heavens that does not fail, where no thief approaches nor moth destroys. For where your treasure is. Why are we talking about this? Because Jesus talked about it and he said for where your treasure is there, your heart will be also.

31:17 So all of us have treasures and the direction of our treasure traffic. We'll have a direction. Our treasures flowing. Jesus said whatever direction your treasure is flowing, that reveals what has captivated your heart. So if 99% of your treasure traffic goes to you, then guess who's captivated your heart? You, me, myself, and I, me, my precious, mine, mine. But if there's a portion that goes to the Lord, then I know that he's captivated my heart, for where your treasure is, there your heart is also, and this is why this is an important subject and this is why Jesus talked about this all the time, all the time.

32:17 Let's look at Luke 16, verse 10. It's a matter of the heart, you know. If you have a problem with this message, let me ask you this what would you think of me if I wasn't a tither? I mean, I just said that and you made a face, and I don't blame you, I make the same face. You made a face like I smelled bad, and I would agree with you. What about if our staff didn't tithe?

32:58 We have seven people on staff. What if they didn't tithe? Would you? And you knew it. And we just said you know what we don't, we just you know, maybe sometimes, and have some theological problems with it. And you know, Paul did once say just to give generously, and we just give generously. Well, percentage wise, what is? Well, it comes out to like two and a half percent a year. Well, the people I'm just going, people have all these things, these ideas. You know there's a whole camp that's oh, we're not supposed to tithe, we're just supposed to give generously. Okay, what does your generously look like? Do the math. And they finally sit down and do the math and it comes out that we're given two to 3%. Well, guess what, honey bunny?

33:39 That's not generous because under the old covenant they gave 10% and we have a much better covenant. How much more should we give? And, by the way, I don't give 10%, I give away more. 10% is the starting point. And I said, god, if this is true and this works, I want you to increase me so that I can give more every successive year. Hallelujah, he who is faithful in what is least is faithful also in much. By the way, he's addressing several things here. One of the things he's addressing is you know the person that says I'll give when my ship comes in.

34:21 I don't have anything now, things are tight, but when I hit it I'll be. I mean, I'll build a whole wing on the church. It's a lie. If you're not faithful in the little, you won't be faithful in the much. And people who are waiting for their ship to come in. If you haven't sent the ship out. There's not one returning with extra cargo. But Jesus here is talking about the least. What is the least and why is there a connection with the anointing and money? Because the anointing is power. It's power in the spirit realm, it's God's raw power. And what's power here on earth?

35:01 It is money. Money is power in the natural, in the carnal, but the anointing is true power, true power in the spirit. And Jesus is comparing and contrasting what's least is money, what's greatest is the anointing. But if you can't be faithful in the least, in money, how will you be entrusted with true riches, the anointing, the power of God. And, by the way, this is why we're talking about this in a series that's all about the anointing of God. Remember, I'm the rotor-router guy. I left last Sunday and I felt like we hit about a level three out of 10 that we could have gone to.

35:44 But there were these entrances and these blockages and I thought I was going to have to get before the Lord for hours, until he revealed to Timmy within five minutes I'm driving away, and he said you have to hit this, you have to get in there, because some people they're never going to get their breakthrough because they just don't understand. He who is faithful in what is least is faithful also in much, and he who is unjust in what is least is also unjust in much. And you're like, yeah, but Pastor, how do you know who's talking about money? You're really stretching it this time. Let's see the next verse. I'm so glad you asked, therefore, if you have not been faithful in unrighteous mammon.

36:25 Remember mammon the money, god who will commit to your trust to the true riches. So there is a connection between money in the heart, money in the anointing and Jesus himself. If you have a problem with this message, take it up with Jesus. I know we don't have it in red lettering up on the screens, but if you look in your Bible it'll be in red letters, words of Christ in red. And he said I cannot trust you with true riches if you've been unfaithful with money. Do you know what the most common answer I get when I work with somebody concerning their finances, and I'll always ask this right away how much debt are you in?

37:12 What the most common answer is to the question how much debt do you have, how much debt are you in? The most common answer is I don't know. Always, first they squirm. Then they look at the shame comes, the guilt comes and they say I don't know. And I've been there. I've had 17 credit cards. I still have them all cut up. I saved them as I paid each one off. I cut them up. In fact they moved and I still have the wooden box, still have them. I know that feeling and so what you do? You are like that emu bird that sticks your head in the sand. You know it sticks its head in the sand. You know why it does that?

37:53 Because it believes if you can't see the predators, its enemies they can't see it. So, concerning debt, people are like you know what, maybe if I don't know how much debt I'm in the debt won't know that it has me. No, it knows. And still attached to your social security number and your name. But the most common answer I get is I don't know. When you make a decision to be a giver, it'll cause you to get serious about finances, and it is a serious thing. The number one cause for divorce is not adultery, that's number two. Number one is strife over finances. This is important and you pretending like it's not, it's not doing you any favors.

38:35 How you handle money, it's important to God. And guess what? God wants to prosper you, god wants to bless you, god wants to shower you and cause your cup to overflow. But that's not going to happen if you're at a third grade level of financial understanding and it begins with making a decision to give and first realizing 10%, and you actually sit down and see what's coming in, and sit down and see what's going out and do five minutes of math and make some decisions and watch what the Lord does. For some of you, you don't even know why I'm saying this, trust me. There's people around. They're just flying blindfolded. They don't even know what's coming in or what's going.

39:16 They're just kind of like winging it. And how do they justify that to themselves? They tell them their big payday is coming, because, after all, we live in America. One of the reasons we have so much debt is, of course, debt is given away cheaply, as opposed to, like Montenegro, it's no one in debt because they also don't believe that there's going to be a miracle payday. But we live in America and we're inundated with stories of somebody just hitting it big, and so we think that's going to happen to us. But if God loves you and he does. He's going to make sure that doesn't happen to you, because it's going to blow you out of the water until you're ready. This is not no standing ovation for that one. Erica, nobody's Acts 10, verses one through four, you'll be happy to know.

40:07 I'm closing with this Hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah. I have great respect for your profession. Plumbing is hard work. I'm feeling it right now. Plumbing is hard work, first service easy work, but right now plumbing is. It's a dirty job, but somebody's gotta do it. Yeah, yes, sir, half of you are not even expecting the Holy Spirit to touch you because you think this is a financial seminar.

40:51 All of a sudden, like God is on pause and he's disinterested. He loves this message. I love preaching this message Bit of a fight this morning, but I have no shortage of scriptures concerning this message. So I know that he loves this message because it's in his word and I know how he moves when people make that adjustment on the inside. I've seen it over and over again and I fully expect him to move and touch lives. Not tomorrow in this service. Hallelujah, I feel it in my bones.

41:37 Acts there was a certain man in Caesarea called Cornelius, a centurion of what was called the Italian Regiment Verse two a devout man and one who feared God with all his household, who gave alms generously to the people and pray to God always. This man. In verse three you'll see, he was chosen, he was selected. This was gonna be the catalyst for the gospel coming to Gentiles. That's you, that's me, that's me, that's you. We're all Gentiles, except for Josiah Glickstein and the other Jewish people here.

42:27 Praise God, one true Jew. I too am a completed Jew, but the vast, overwhelming majority of us are not. We're Gentiles. And the gospel came to us. Cornelius was the spark. What made him so special that he would receive that honor and that he would receive this angelic visitation? About the ninth hour of the day he saw clearly in a vision an angel of God coming in and saying to him Cornelius, saying Cornelius.

43:10 And when he observed him he was afraid and said what is it, lord? So the angel immediately explains why Cornelius was selected. So he said to him your prayers and your alms, your giving, your generosity have come up for memorial before God. Don't tell me that money and giving are not connected with the anointing and with visitation and revelation and the power of God. Don't tell me that when you see this in the scriptures. Can I just share this testimony with you?

43:51 When I was 16, I learned about tithing. I worked at the Gap. You believe that was. That was a I know right over on Austin Street Cause you could cause. You don't want to be rude, but you can kind of see it right. You could see six of you like, hello, what size can I get for you? Yeah, and that's what I was trained. You didn't ask can I help you? They trained you. No, no, no, open ended questions. What size? And it was so straight you come up to. What size can I get for you? It's like I just want to look around, but I had to. What size can I get for you? My first job was in pioneer supermarket I'm Queens of Boulevard. I was a delivery boy, and then my second job, the Gap, and you know, I was making like 120 bucks a week.

44:35 You know, part time, 16 years old, I learned about tithing and I got in a habit then and I haven't stopped tithing since then. But if somebody wanted something of mine then I would turn into golem. Oh, my precious Like. Somebody would come to my dorm in college and I'd have all these Christian books and somebody would say, oh, you know what book? And the Lord would say just give him the book. No, that was like an eight dollar book, but it was my book and I don't know. You know I had it marked up the way I liked it and I didn't know when I'd be over at the Christian bookstore no Amazon back then to get another copy.

45:19 Or, god forbid, if somebody liked one of my worship CDs. It's like I'll give you the money here's $15, go bought, but you're not getting. And then the Lord began to work on that. I was like, lord, you really break him. I was like, yes, I am, and I want to get you to the place whenever I point to anywhere. If someone says, nice tie, you check in with me. Someone says, nice tie Back then I wore ties. Someone says, nice tie, you go, lord, you want me to give it. Okay, nice, where you realize everything is mine. And when I made that decision and I took several weeks of wrestling with the Lord when I made that decision then the day loose opened, then the flood came.

46:08 And that's really where he wants to take you to a place of understanding that you are a steward. You know what a steward is. You're in charge of the money, you're in charge of the wealth, but it's not really yours, it's the masters, and a faithful steward gets amply rewarded and an unfaithful steward does not get a reward but punishment. Hallelujah, worship team, come on up. I want you just to lift your hands. Hallelujah. Our attitude about money matters La na, na, na va sep o Lord Ramon Tug, some of you, you need to just do some business with the Lord and some of you just need to say I'm sorry, lord Jesus, I'm sorry, I was afraid, lord.

46:58 I'm sorry I didn't trust you, Lord. I'm sorry I limited you, lord. I'm sorry I looked only to my paycheck, I looked to all these natural things, when I know that you can come and you'll find a hundred different ways I never even thought of to get it to me. Some of you need to say I'm sorry, lord, I didn't trust you with the 10th. I didn't trust you with first fruits. You need to say you're sorry and you need to make a 180 and repent. Hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah, rev Av so pararaka. Santa na na na manpa Reman dendende deboshta samanta. I get a word here.

47:39 Mama na mape la ravambro basanta na na manpa la ravendono no Ravanda salasta kata. The Johnson family. I believe you watched the show. I believe you watch online every Sunday. If you're not seeing this live, I'll make sure the message comes to you. I hear several things for you. For one, we don't really. I definitely don't believe in the concept of the one.

48:23 When it comes to marriage, I believe God gives us a choice and there's various people that we can marry. But for you, cam, you've been given the one. For your wife, summer has been called alongside you. Specifically, I hear the Lord saying to, as you have to trust her intuition, to trust what she sees and what she senses and what, at times, she has the difficulty of even putting words to, as you have. I realize I'm not telling you to do anything new, but to encourage you in the path that you've already been on.

49:09 And what if I told you ah, what? Ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah. What if I told you that the last 20 years have been practice and preparation? I know you see that in your spirit. What if I told you that the Lord has been weighing and that he hasn't found anything wanting? What if I told you that he's been checking your faithfulness in three areas? Checking your faithfulness and would you keep him first? And checking your area in two. Would you keep family second? And checking number three? Would you make expanding the kingdom of God a priority in your life?

49:53 What if I told you the first 20 years or so were just practice and that he's about to take you on a journey that will result in a 50X, that's, 50 times Thrust, thrust up. In Jesus' name, hallelujah, thank you. I feel this in my bones Open doors, witty inventions, divine ideas. You'll have to pinch yourself. You'll think you're in a dream. The Lord will come to you, woo-hoo, and take your whole family up, up, up. In Jesus' name, hallelujah.

50:36 I gotta tell you I have no way of saying it. It sounds cliche, but the greatest years are ahead. This has really been a testing phase and I sense the Lord saying I am so well pleased. Couple of decades of testing. Hallelujah, hallelujah. This is the City Light Church podcast. If you've missed any part of today's message or if you would like to find out more about Pastor Boyan Jansik in City Light Church, visit us at citylightnyccom.

51:19 That's citylightnyccom. Feel free to visit us online or in person anytime. We would love to connect with you. We pray that you have been encouraged today, that you have been reminded how much God loves you and that you are surrounded by grace. Thank you for listening. Make sure that you subscribe to City Light Church podcast wherever you find your favorite podcasts worldwide.